Yesterday evening at Bible Study, the subject of discussion was the idea of ‘desert times’.  The desert played an important role in Bible times and was the setting for many significant events.  In addition, many leading Bible figures had life-changing experiences in the desert.  It was suggested that the desert can be representative of trying times in our lives today.  That is to say that times of loss, times of pain, times of difficulty, times of being lost or without direction, times of uncertainty, etc. are ‘desert times’.  If we are faithful during these ‘desert times’ our testimony is increased as we come out of them, just as the Israelites’ testimony did as they entered the Promised Land; forty years of provision for food, water, clothing, etc. showed God as a refuge and a faithful provider for the needs of His children.  It is during these ‘desert times’ that our relationship with the Lord grows closer, wider, deeper, more meaningful and more trusting.  It is through these ‘desert times’ that we are blessed by God, for without them, we would not recognize His goodness.  It is through these ‘desert times’ that the character and nature of the Living God is revealed and we are able to know Him in ways that, were it not for these ‘desert times’, we would never have the blessing to experience.  So as I sat listening to the discussion, I remembered something I had read in God’s perfect timing earlier that very morning which I would like to share with you here.  I researched the internet to find the author, but was unsuccessful in turning up who penned this:

IF YOU NEVER …

If you never felt pain, how would you know that I am a Healer?
If you never had to pray, how would you know that I am a Deliverer?
If you never had a trial, how could you call yourself an overcomer?
If you never felt sadness, how would you know that I am a Comforter?
If you never made a mistake, how would you know that I am a forgiver?
If you knew all, how would you know that I will answer your questions?
If you never were in trouble, how would you know that I will come to your rescue?
If you never were broken, how would you know that I can make you whole?
If you never had a problem, how would you know that I can solve them?
If you never had any suffering, how would you know what I went through?
If you never went through the fire, how would you become pure?
If I gave you all things, how could you appreciate them?
If I never corrected you, how would you know that I love you?
If you had all power, how would you learn to depend on me?
If your life was perfect, what would you need me for?
-author unknown

The full, open, public ministry of Jesus is over (ended at the end of the previous chapter when the people tried to kill Him). The cross is just a few days away and Jesus is now building up (edifying) the believers so they might carry on. This miracle is performed in defiance of their rejection of Him and is a bridge or transition from the public ministry to His private ministry to the believers. This is the 7th and final miracle in the Gospel and serves to bring Glory to God in three ways: 1) It points to deity in Christ (only God can give life), 2) it confirmed and strengthened the faith of Christ’s disciples, and 3) it leads directly to the cross.

1Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.
This home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus was as close to a home as Jesus had; it was a surrogate home. This house and its people were dear to Jesus and He spent many hours here. It was His physical refuge from Jerusalem.

3So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”
This is a good model for prayer – humble – no demands or requests, just a statement of the facts. We are to bring our cares before God and trust that He will take care of things and do so in His own time. ‘He whom you love’ – not ‘the one who loves you’. Jesus’ care for us is not dependent on our love for Him but instead on His love for us. We love Him because He first loved us. The word for love here is brotherly love (philia), not erotic love (eros) or divine love (agape). This use instead of agape shows Christ’s humanity as does vss 35 and 36.

4But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
This message was not news to Jesus. As God, He knew of the illness, death, and coming resurrection of Lazarus before the messenger ever approached. Our God is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. There is nothing that has or ever will happen that He does not know about and is sovereign over. Illness – this is the word for ‘very sick leading to death.’ “It” in the next sentence refers back to this word and is for God’s glory (why?) so that God’s Son may be glorified through it. The purpose of this whole event is God’s glory. We must not forget, overlook, or have the event itself diminish this. God’s glory and the Son of God’s (Christ’s) glory are the same and equal. This is consistent throughout the Bible. We cannot give glory to God without also giving glory to Christ. Any trial a believer faces can ultimately bring glory to God because God can bring good out of any bad situation. When trouble comes, do you grumble, complain, and blame God, or do you see your problems as opportunities to honor Him?

5Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
The word for love used here is agape and not philia as before. This love is in no hurry (see next vs and Isaiah 30:18).

6So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
So – transition word – ties previous verse to the next. He stayed where he was two more days because of his love for Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. This is also for the disciples’ benefit (vs 15). The timing of God is seen by us as His always being late. His delay had a specific purpose. God’s timing, especially His delays, may make us think He is not answering or is not answering the way we want, but He will meet all our needs according to His perfect schedule and purpose. Patiently await His timing.

7Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?”
Jesus had a good ministry in Bethany while a stoning awaited Him in Jerusalem. In addition, He had just stated that this sickness would not end in death. So the response of the disciples is understandable. The ‘Jews’ here refer not to the Jewish people but instead to the Jewish leaders. This is also true when ‘the Jews’ is used later in vss 19, 31, 33, and 36.

9Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
This was a common cultural saying and was used to indicate that all things are to be done in their time. Jesus was saying that He would go where He was supposed to go when He was supposed to go there. In this instance, that meant going to Bethany. However, as Jesus often does, this saying also had spiritual significance. In this situation, Jesus was also saying that God has control over the length of life and is in control of when night (death) comes. This would apply to their going to Jerusalem and the assumed stoning that awaited them as well as the result of Lazarus’ sickness. Also, while similar but slightly different, this saying also indicates that things must happen according to God’s timeline. This is similar to what Jesus meant when he said “Mine hour has not come.”

11After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”
Fallen asleep is a euphemism for death. This term is used 14+ times in the Bible and always means death. Anyone that teaches ‘soul sleep’ based on this term is misinterpreting the Bible. This misinterpretation is addressed head-on in vss 13-14. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

13Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
This is days before the cross and this will be Jesus’ last miracle. Jesus needed something the disciples could cling to as they gazed upon Him on the cross. This would do that and bring to mind His power and that they could trust in it and in Him. Again we see Jesus’ omniscience.

16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
This is a sarcastic comment. Thomas’ love was so strong he was willing to die with Jesus, but his faith was so weak he knew he would. “Doubting Thomas” doubted long before the resurrection. Thomas was eventually martyred, so this was somewhat prophetic. Would you die for Christ? Even harder – would you live for Him? To live for Christ you must crucify yourself daily. It is wise to consider the high cost of being Jesus’ disciple.

17Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
This is a humble act by Jesus. He put Mary and Martha before Himself. He stopped what He was doing and came in response to the request. He came to give life. In the same way, Jesus put us before Himself. He stepped down out of heaven and came to this world, into a funeral, out of humility to give life. Humility is the first of four basic ingredients of salvation.

18Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.
Jesus deals with Martha and Mary differently since their personalities are different, respecting them as individuals, and loving them each as they needed. Jesus, the unchanging God, does the same with us.

21Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
There is no indication of tone here. Is this an accusation? Some argue that it is or that it is laced with a touch of sarcasm. If taken by itself, it could be seen that way. However, this is not all that Martha said. One must continue reading (vs 22) and when taken as a whole, combined with her personality as seen throughout Scripture and her relationship with Jesus, this is most likely not the case and is instead a lament and/or a statement of fact/faith.

22But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
The topic of the resurrection was a highly debated ‘hot topic’ of the day. This shows that Martha was informed of the theology, had considered the arguments, and had come to a conclusion. From this we gain a little insight into her personality.

25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Vs 25 pertains to the physical while vs 26 pertains to the spiritual. These two vss are revelation – divine truth revealed. Revelation is the second basic ingredient of salvation. This is the fifth of seven ‘I am’ statements in John’s Gospel where Jesus takes the same title that God ascribed to himself in Exodus 3. There is no life without Him. Do you believe this? This question forces Martha to NOT look at herself, her pain, her loss, her brother, or anything else but instead to look to Him. This question is for us as well as Martha. To those who believe, what wonderful assurance and certainty we have.

27She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Faith – I believe. Faith is the third basic ingredient of salvation. Martha demonstrates here that Lazarus’ death and her grief had not undermined her confidence in God or her Savior Jesus Christ. She demonstrates how we can maintain our trust in God even when we do not understand why God allows tragedy. This intellectual approach, that is getting things settled mentally, is important to do before the tragedy strikes because when it does, this understanding will guide the emotional side of it during it.

28When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.
This is love. Love is the fourth component of salvation. It is the overarching umbrella under which the other three operate and is the thing that ties them all together. In vs 33, Jesus is intensely human, loving, and caring. ‘Deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled’ – see notes on vs 37.

34And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
Vs 35 shows the same deep human emotion of Jesus as in vs 33. The word love in vs 36 is again the word philia.

37But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”
For some of those there, seeing Jesus weeping did not add-up. His display of emotion at the loss of Lazarus did not seem to align with His power to give sight to the blind. This calls into question exactly what Jesus was weeping over. Was it indeed Lazarus’ death, or was it something else such as the ‘put-on’ mourning by some of those present, the pain that death causes loved ones, sin that causes death, etc. The same questions arise regarding the unrest and troubled spirit we read about above in vs 33. One argument is that Jesus was angered at the emotional grief of the people because it implicitly revealed unbelief in the resurrection and the temporary nature of death. The group was acting like pagans who had no hope. We are left to draw our own conclusions, however, and perhaps it is some of all of these things and more. Regardless of the reasons, we see Jesus’ humanity and the heart of God- raw, intense, and real. Also missing is the tone of this question. Is there an accusation here, or is this simply a statement of perplexity? What they failed to recognize is His will, power, and timing are not ours. We must trust Him for these things. How often do we see that in times of tragedy and difficulty people point the finger at God? Without tone we must reconcile and harmonize this with vs 36, but it does bring up a good question nonetheless.

38Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.”
Our logic is based on our power and abilities. We can arrive at a conclusion that ‘it’s impossible’. This is because we do not look beyond ourselves to Him who made the world. This shows lack of faith. Should it be His will, there is nothing that is impossible; should it not be, nothing is possible (understanding properly God’s ordained will, permissive will, etc.). Culturally, some Jews believed the spirit hovered over the corpse for four days before departing, waiting for an opportunity to re-enter the body. By waiting, Jesus would have dispelled the explanation that Lazarus’ spirit came back to him of its own.

40Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
This promise is not contingent upon her faith as it may appear. The miracle would happen whether she believed or not. What her faith was required for was to see God’s glory in the miracle. Martha is to watch Jesus, not Lazarus.

41So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”
Father and Son are one – unified – connected. This prayer was said for the benefit of those that heard it. Likewise, our audible prayers bless those that hear them.

43When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.”
Some say that had Jesus not called Lazarus by name, cemeteries the world over and possibly Hell itself would have been emptied at this command. Again, this is done for the faith of those that heard, either to strengthen it or initiate it. This audible statement was not necessary to accomplish the feat.

44The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Notice the involvement of man in vss 39 and 44. Jesus does not need nor require our involvement, but allows it that through it our faith might be increased and others might be won to Him. Our service to Him is a blessing for us. He gives life, we get to roll away grave-stones and take off grave-clothes. How wonderful He is to permit us to do such things.

You’re dirt.  The question is:  which kind?

I’d like you to do something.  2 Corinthians 13:5 says “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?”  I’d like to ask you to do just that.  Examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith.  I’m not asking you to do this alone.  I’ll help – along with another passage of scripture.  But to be fair, I should warn you….this might hurt a little.  Or a lot.

Jesus taught about people that have heard the Gospel and how they respond to it.  This teaching can be found in Matthew (chapter 13), Mark (chapter 4), and Luke (chapter 8).  As recounted in Mark 4, verse 13 says “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?’” As you may know, Jesus used parables a lot and the secret to understanding them, Jesus says, is in understanding this one.  But not only can we learn from this parable how others respond to the Gospel, you can, if you will be honest with yourself, use it to see how you have responded to the Gospel and to see whether you are in the faith.

The parable, as recounted in Matthew 13:3-9, reads as follows:

Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.  Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

The disciples didn’t know what to make of this; they missed His point and did not or could not understand what Jesus was trying to get across to them.  So He explained the parable to them in verses 18-23:

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:  When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.  The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.  The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.  But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

So which are you?  If you have not heard the Gospel, please click here.  If you have and you have rejected it, then you are like the path – hard, beaten down, and trod upon.  I would plead with you – soften your heart to the saving grace and loving kindness of Jesus Christ.  Repent of your sins and put your faith in Him.

Have you at one point responded to The Good News in some way, such as perhaps you walked to the front of the church and/or signed a commitment card, but shortly after quit going to church and stopped reading your Bible (if you ever even started)?  If this is you, then you are like the rocky ground springing up and then withering away.  Or perhaps you openly call yourself a Christian, but don’t go to church unless it’s Christmas or Easter, you don’t read your Bible, and unless you tell someone you are a Christian nobody would ever know?  If this is you, then you are like the thorny ground allowing the world to rule you instead of the Lord.  Both of these types of false converts can occur for a number of reasons, but usually they happen due to a lack of repentance and responding to the Gospel with your head instead of your heart.  Focus on your sins, let them drive you to your knees, and just when you cannot bear looking at yourself in front of a holy, almighty God, look up and see your Jesus on the cross paying your penalty for you.  Then turn to Him out of gratitude and thankfulness for His amazing love and He promises you He will never lose you.

Are you a regular church attender, reading your Bible regularly if not daily?  Do you participate in programs and activities in the community?  Are you a Christian?  Are you sure?  Are you sowing seeds?  Have you produced a crop?  If not, don’t do so out of guilt or obligation nor for pride or reward.  The crop these motives will produce will be burned up.  Instead, do so in response to what has been done for you by Christ on the cross.

The following items are true facts about the Bible. Regardless of your opinion of the Bible, these things are indisputable. Hopefully, if you doubt the Bible’s authority, this information might change that:

- There are many versions of the Bible. There are versions in Chinese, Russian, Spanish and literally hundreds (over 1400 actually) of other versions of the Bible in languages old and new, foreign and native. Only the people in the remotest and most restricted areas of the world do not have a copy of the Bible in their own language.
- Every Bible translation is based on the original biblical texts and are not produced as the result of a millennium long game of ‘telephone’.
- The Bible is made up of two testaments: the Old Testament (containing 39 books) was composed from about 1400 B.C. to 400 B.C., and the New Testament (containing 27 books) was written from approximately A.D. 50 to A.D. 90.
- Based on the writings of the early scientists in the seventeenth century, we see the Bible was the basis for modern science and was birthed from their belief in an unchanging God of order, purpose, and consistency — the God portrayed in the Bible.
- Our modern concept of law and order are based on the Bible. The Bible says that God has set standards of right and wrong behavior. Many of our current laws are based upon biblical morality.
- The Bible was written by approximately 40 different authors.
- Approximately 168,000 Bibles are sold or given away each day in the US alone.
- The Bible is unique in its continuity. It was written over a period of about 1,500 years by roughly 40 writers from all walks of life. Some were fishermen; some were politicians. Others were generals or kings, shepherds, or historians. They were from three different continents, and wrote in three different languages. They wrote on hundreds of controversial subjects yet they wrote with agreement and harmony. They wrote in dungeons, in temples, on beaches, and on hillsides, during peacetime and during war. Yet their words sound like they came from the same source. So even though 10 people today couldn’t write on one controversial subject and agree, God picked 40 different people to write the Bible— and it stands the test of time.
- The Bible is unique in its circulation. The invention of the printing press in 1450 made it possible to print books in large quantities. The first book printed was the Bible. Since then, the Bible has been read by more people and printed more times than any other book in history. By 1930, over one billion Bibles had been distributed by Bible societies around the world. By 1977, Bible societies alone were printing over 200 million Bibles each year, and this doesn’t include the rest of the Bible publishing companies.
- The Bible is unique in its survival. In ancient times, books were copied by hand onto manuscripts which were made from parchment and would decay over time. Ancient books are available today only because someone made copies of the originals to preserve them. For example, the original writings of Julius Caesar are no longer around. We know what he wrote only by the copies we have. Only 10 copies are still in existence, and they were made 1,000 years after he died. Only 600 copies of Homer’s The Iliad exist, made 1,300 years after the originals were written. No other book has as many copies of the ancient manuscripts as the Bible. In fact, there are 24,633 copies of New Testament manuscripts (5,300 in Greek and the balance in Syriac, Latin, Coptic, and Aramaic), some made within 35 years of the writer’s death. For that matter, the next eight most represented books in antiquity after the Bible (The Iliad, The Works of Sophocles, The Works of Aristotle, of Livy, Julius Caesar, Tacitus, Herodotus, and Plato) combined have less than 1000 manuscripts regardless of language. Nobody doubts the authenticity of these other works; it is the Bible alone that is treated with skepticism.
- The Bible is unique in withstanding attack. No other book has been so attacked throughout history as the Bible. In A.D. 300 the Roman emperor Diocletian ordered every Bible burned because he thought that by destroying the Scriptures he could destroy Christianity. Anyone caught with a Bible would be executed. But just 25 years later, the Roman emperor Constantine ordered that 50 perfect copies of the Bible be made at government expense. The French philosopher Voltaire, a skeptic who destroyed the faith of many people, boasted that within 100 years of his death, the Bible would disappear from the face of the earth. Voltaire died in 1728, but the Bible lives on. The irony of history is that 50 years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society moved into his former house and used his printing presses to print thousands of Bibles.
- The Bible has also survived criticism. No book has been more attacked for its accuracy. And yet archaeologists are providing more proof every year that the Bible’s detailed descriptions of historic events are correct.
- Aristotle’s Ode to Poetics was written between 384 and 322 B.C. The earliest copy of this work is dated A.D. 1100, and there are only forty-nine extant manuscripts. The gap between the original writing and the earliest copy is 1,400 years. There are only seven extant manuscripts of Plato’s Tetralogies, written 427–347 B.C. The earliest copy is A.D. 900—a gap of over 1,200 years. What about the New Testament? Jesus was crucified in A.D. 30. The New Testament was written between A.D. 48 and 95. The oldest manuscripts date to the last quarter of the first century, and the second oldest to A.D. 125. This gives us a narrow gap of thirty-five to forty years from the originals written by the apostles.
- The Bible has corroborating writings unlike any other ancient book. Writings confirming Jesus’ birth, ministry, death, and resurrection include Flavius Josephus (A.D. 93), the Babylonian Talmud (A.D. 70–200), Pliny the Younger’s letter to the Emperor Trajan (approx. A.D. 100), the Annals of Tacitus (A.D. 115–117), Mara Bar Serapion (sometime after A.D. 73), and Suetonius’ Life of Claudius and Life of Nero (A.D. 120).
- The Bible has fulfilled prophecies unlike any other book. The Bible predicted the rise and fall of great empires like Greece and Rome (Daniel 2:39,40), and foretold the destruction of cities like Tyre and Sidon (Isaiah 23). Tyre’s demise is recorded by ancient historians, who tell how Alexander the Great lay siege to the city for seven months. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had failed in a 13-year attempt to capture the seacoast city and completely destroy its inhabitants. During the siege of 573 B.C., much of the population of Tyre moved to its new island home half a mile from the land city. Here it remained surrounded by walls as high as 150 feet until judgment fell in 332 B.C. with the arrival of Alexander the Great. In the seven-month siege, he fulfilled the remainder of the prophecies (Zechariah 9:4; Ezekiel 26:12) concerning the city at sea by completely destroying Tyre, killing 8,000 of its inhabitants and selling 30,000 of its population into slavery. To reach the island, he scraped up the dust and rubble of the old land city of Tyre, just like the Bible predicted, and cast them into the sea, building a 200-foot-wide causeway out to the island. Alexander’s death and the murder of his two sons was also foretold in the Scripture. Another startling prophecy was Jesus’ detailed prediction of Jerusalem’s destruction, and the further spreading of the Jewish diaspora throughout the world, which is recorded in Luke 21. In A.D. 70, not only was Jerusalem destroyed by Titus, the future emperor of Rome, but another prediction of Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:1,2 came to pass—the complete destruction of the temple of God. There are over 300 prophecies regarding the Messiah. Here are just a few: In the Book of Daniel, the Bible prophesied the coming of the one and only Jewish Messiah prior to the temple’s demise. The Old Testament prophets declared He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) to a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12,13), die by crucifixion (Psalm 22), and be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9). There was only one person who fits all of the 300+ messianic prophecies of the Old Testament who lived before A.D. 70: Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary.
- New discoveries continue to support the Bible. The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm of the Hebrew Text, the Masoretic Text, and the Greek translation of the Hebrew Text (the Septuagint). Since the New Testament often quotes from the Greek Old Testament, the Dead Sea Scrolls provide further confidence for the Masoretic texts in this area where it can be tested.
- Archaeology continues to affirm the Bible. According to Dr. Nelson Glueck, “It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a Biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the Bible. And, by the same token, proper evaluation of Biblical descriptions has often led to amazing discoveries.”
- The Bible itself claims to be ‘of God’, ‘inspired by God’, and quotes God as ‘God said…’. While this might appear to be circular reasoning, in fact it is not. To prove the President lives in the White House, the most authoritative method to do so is to look into it. The same is true of the Bible. Look into it and see if what it says is true. But I must warn you. Skeptics have been doing just that for 2000 years and the Bible still stands. The skeptics, however, are skeptical no longer and are instead believers.

Information taken from ‘Archaeology and History Attest to the Reliability of the Bible’ by Richard M. Fales, Ph.D.; ‘Evidence That Demands a Verdict’ by Josh McDowell; School of Biblical Evangelism, Lessons 52-55; ‘Dead Sea Scrolls’ by Norman Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Chrisian Apologetics; ‘The Bible Stands Alone’ compiled by Jordan and Justin Drake; ‘The Dead Sea Scrolls: “The greatest manuscript discovery of all times”‘ by William F. Albright

Progress:
Pronunciation: \ˈprä-grəs, -ˌgres, US also & British usually ˈprō-ˌgres\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French progrés, from Latin progressus advance, from progredi to go forth, from pro- forward + gradi to go — more at PRO-, GRADE
Date: 15th century
1 a) 1): a royal journey marked by pomp and pageant 2): a state procession b): a tour or circuit made by an official (as a judge) c): an expedition, journey, or march through a region
2: a forward or onward movement (as to an objective or to a goal) : ADVANCE
3: gradual betterment; especially: the progressive development of humankind

When I hear the word ‘progress’, the overall idea that comes to my mind is a combination of definitions 2 and 3 – a forward movement producing betterment.  There are a couple of interesting things worth noting in this definition.  First, there is movement, meaning change.  Things are not staying the same.  Second, this movement is forward in direction, not backwards.  By ‘forward’ it is meant that the change is to new things, not a return to old or previous paradigms.  And third, the result of the forward change is a production of something beneficial.

For the most part, these ideas embodied in the word ‘progress’ hold true.  As it applies to the automotive industry, we see progress leading to automobiles that are safer, more fuel efficient, and more comfortable.  In the technology world, progress leads to cheaper devices that are faster, smaller, and more capable.  And the list can go on and on – better cleaning products that are environmentally safe, new clothing materials that are more durable and longer-lasting, new building materials that are stronger and lighter, etc, etc, etc.  It’s all progress!

However (you knew that was coming, didn’t you?), there are things in which forward change is not beneficial or produce things that are better.  Things that rely on or are based on absolutes, when changed, do not produce things that are better.  Take the recent financial meltdown, for instance.  When the absolutes of financing are not adhered to, calamity ensues.  There are reasons for the rules and regulations.

What does progress look like in the realm of politics?  The Constitution is written with the presupposition that it is an absolute.  It is the foundation upon which all is built and against which all is measured.  To move away from the ideas it embodies is to move toward detriment.  Take the First Amendment, for instance.  The First Amendment reads:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The plain reading of the first part of this (Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion) means that Congress (the guys and gals in Washington, D.C.) cannot make a law (the rules that are debated, agreed to, and then signed by the President that determine what is and is not permissible in this country) that establishes (creates) a religion.  It means exactly what it says.  To say that the phrase ‘separation of church and state’ summarizes it is not accurate.  To then apply this inaccurate phrase to say we cannot pray before a football game or have the Ten Commandments on the courthouse lawn is a slippery slope on which several steps have already been taken and actually does what the next phrase ( prohibit the free exercise thereof) says not to do!  For sure, this is not progress.  The Constitution does not need progress – it needs adherence.

In Christianity, we see ‘progress’ producing similar results.  The Bible is the foundation and the rule.  When we get away from it and what it says, we are on a slippery slope.  To proclaim a new gospel is to profane and pervert the true Gospel.  To tell people to invite Jesus into their hearts instead of calling them to repentance is to create false converts that become twice the sons of Hell.  To minister with those of other faiths is to endorse their beliefs.  To allow and even condone homosexuality is to ignore God-given truth.  To add works to the cross is to steal Christ of His due reward.  Christ does not require progress – He requires obedience.  Paul wrote to Timothy:

As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.  But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.  For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.  But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. -1Timothy 1:3-11

For all who preach and teach, we would be wise to follow Paul’s advice.  Call doing otherwise progress if you want, the Bible says it’s progress to Hell.